Unintended: Beginnings
by consumedbyheavenlyfire
Summary: AH. Bella's beginnings.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I wasn't quite sure how to go about posting this since when I wrote this starting in August of last year, I hadn't really divvied it up into a multi-chapter format. That's why there's a ton of versions I have written on how Bella's and Jake's futures play out and I had begun referring to it as the Unintended Series. However, I had promised to let Unintended's and Trinity's readers see how Bella's story began that delved into those two alternate story lines. I know some might be disturbed at their beginnings or their beginning situation I should say but trust me, by the end, it fades into the background and doesn't become the main singular factor. This is not meant to be a taboo stepdaddy/stepdaughter type deal though I did switch Bella's and Ness' roles for sure in this scenario/world. This is all human for those who haven't read Unintended or Trinity before and I should warn you that there is quite an age difference between Jake and Bella, with him being older by about ten years or so, give or take a few, though no lines are flirted with until she is the age of consent in NYS. And while I borrowed a lot from the Twilight world, I also tried to ingratiate my own variants, too, like personal experiences, real locales and certain characters based on real people for example. My main focus at the time was Bella and how she evolved from the forced-to-grow-up-quickly-yet-still-a-kid teenager we meet here to who she becomes in the end including focusing on her relationships with her family, Jake, her friends, etc. This took quite a bit of time to formulate so with the fact that it's written like one big nonstop runoff paragraph/piece of writing with no beta'ing being done at all in mind, please bear with me. And thank you in advance for even giving it a glance. It means a lot. =)**

**And I'm sorry if the beginning isn't that great a beginning. =/ Just kind of started it and worked my way from there.**

**Rating this M just to be safe for language and inferences made.**

**Disclaimer: Everything Twilight related including characters and locales all belong to Stephenie Meyer, the creator of Twilight. The only thing that is mine is the story idea. Everything else belongs to her.**

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I never knew my father; my mom had raised me alone. The story was that my father had split after she got pregnant with me and her husband had dumped her because of it. I guess I should have known then.

That's not to say my mom was a bad mother; she wasn't. She loved me, took care of me, helped me with my homework and always took the time to spend with me. I had never known such happiness as I did when it was just me and my mom.

But unfortunately, that all started to change when she remarried. She had met a man named Alec and right from the start, I hadn't liked him. There was just something about him; I couldn't quite put my finger on it. He never yelled at me, never hit me or mistreated me, but he never talked to me either. He seemed as if he didn't want anything to do with me whatsoever. I think during the course of their marriage he maybe said…..thirty words to me? And they had been married for two years.

Alec had been the perpetrator this time, Mom claiming she had found evidence of an affair he had been having with a woman that worked for him. I had let Mom cry on my shoulder the nights she would break down and wonder if karma had done this to her. It was so unfair, she always said. I was seven at the time with no idea what to say that could console her; this topic was way beyond my level of understanding. So, I just hugged her tighter and rocked her, stroking her hair and shushing her. Every few minutes I would tell her I loved her and that she was the prettiest woman I had ever known, that someday I wanted to look just like her. She had smiled at that, kissing my cheek before clinging to me and sobbing once more.

It had been a rough road there for a while. Mom went in and out of a light depression. She still functioned; still went to work while I was at school; still did what she had to do, but you could see how much the divorce and the subsequent news of Alec marrying his very pregnant secretary had taken a toll on her. She still had her cry sessions, would drink some wine and regale me with every sad story of her life. She said she still loved my dad, my real one, and he had hurt her badly. He said they would run away together and she had believed him, but in the end, he had left her stranded, with a baby to raise no less. It was always poor her and woe is her and the world was against her….I actually felt sorry for her at the time. I hadn't known any better; I was too young to.

After a while, Mom started to date again and she definitely brought home some not so great finds. Sometimes they would glare and scowl at me, as if I had the nerve to exist. Other times, they simply wanted nothing to do with me, just like Alec. There was this one guy that gave me the creeps any time he leered at me when my mom's back was turned. I was only ten years old at the time; I hadn't even gone through puberty yet. But, after I had spoken to Mom about my concern regarding his intentions, she had caught him a few nights later when he had given me a disturbing smile and ended up kicking him out. Thank goodness he never came back. I could only hope whoever he dated next didn't have any children. There were a few nice guys in there; some of them were very genial towards me. I hated it when she had sent those guys away. I was always hoping she could make it work with one of the nice guys but it seemed the nicer they were, the less interest she had in keeping them around. Almost like they didn't give her enough to bitch about sometimes. Don't get me wrong; I liked my life the way it was, just with Mom and me in the house, but I had hoped one of them could catch her attention and hold it for just a bit longer. The longer the nice guys were around, the less time I had to deal with the bad ones. Instead, our front door on Langston Street became the revolving door of the county. Very rarely did these men stay over; Mom was very staunch about that bit; up to a point which ended when I was a few days away from turning ten. I hated it. Usually, I was passed out by the time my mom brought them upstairs but in a few instances (which became closer and closer to daily instances as time passed), I had heard sounds I really wished that I could go back in a time machine to erase. I would make sure I never knew just how loudly my mother moaned or how hard the headboard was knocking into the wall. I had covered my head with my pillow and did my best to drown it all out.

Thankfully, when I was nearly fifteen, the flow of men coming and going started to slow down just a bit. And then, one day, my mom came home and when I had seen her dreamy smile, I knew she had met someone. She proceeded to fill me in over dinner about how she had met this mechanic. Her car had needed an oil change so she took it to a garage that she had never been to before but was closer to her office building. There, the mechanic who had worked on the car had begun a conversation, flirting with her, and she apparently was quite taken with him. She mentioned the fact that he was very good looking and that he made her laugh. He asked her out on a date and she had quickly accepted. That Friday he would be picking her up, which was interesting enough in itself. She only allowed the guys to pick her up at home if she really liked them. She must really like this guy, more than she let on initially.

I listened with a polite smile and told her I was happy for her but inside I was rolling my eyes and sighing. Somehow, I got the distinct feeling she had possibly met husband number three. I waited with my nerves on edge for his expected arrival to determine if the next three and a half years of my life were going to be miserable or wouldn't change at all.

The doorbell rang and my mom asked me to let him in from down the hall. She was just unplugging the curling iron. That was...odd. Usually, I was asked to disappear until she left. Huh, this ought to be interesting. I rolled my eyes, put my book down and did as she asked. I opened the door to reveal a slightly taller man than she usually dated with short dark hair and just as dark eyes. He was very tan or, well...darker-skinned maybe is the way to describe it. And when he smiled, his teeth were a bright white, creating a nice contrast to his skin color. Immediately, I was impressed with what I saw and had to admit, my mom had picked well. However, the one thing I really wanted to see was his reaction to me.

He smiled wide at me. "Hey. You're Bella, right?"

I nodded, my mouth hanging open in my shock.

He extended his hand towards me. "I'm Jake. I'm here to pick up your mom?"

"Um…..yeah," I stammered. I forced myself to come to and shake his hand. He had caught me off guard with that information.

He chuckled as he pulled his hand back, clearly realizing the effect his introduction had on me. "Your mom told me about you. That's how I knew who you were."

That was…..so weird. Mom never usually mentioned she had a daughter right after she had met someone new. She wouldn't introduce me if they came to pick her up here and would ask me to hang out up in my room until she left once she knew the guy had pulled into our driveway. Sometimes, she would just meet them elsewhere. I wouldn't say she was ashamed of me, it wasn't anything like that. But a kid in more cases than not was a deal breaker and she knew that. If she went out with them a few times and liked them enough, then she would introduce the men to me and allow me to be around them for a little bit. But, she had told Jake first thing off the bat? Odd.

"Would it be okay if I come in?"

I bit my lip, nodding, and opened the door wider. He stepped in and turned to face me as I closed it. "Thanks," he smiled.

I nodded again. "She'll be out in a minute," I mumbled.

"Okay, sure." I quickly made my way past him and went back into the living room, grabbing my book and picking up where I left off. Something about him made me feel uncomfortable…unsettled was more like it. Not in a bad way, but in a very weird and wary way. Like something about his presence rattled my very being, making me feel less confident and more easily sensitive. I started to feel it even more intensely when Jake sat down on the couch next to me.

"So, whatcha reading?"

I internally rolled my eyes. Oh, so he was going to be that type of guy, huh? Trying to butter up the kid, connect with me and all that. I turned to give him a knowing smirk when his genuine smile startled me. His eyes were very warm and he was really interested. That anxious feeling came back in full force.

I bit my lip again and turned back to my book. "Um…Sense and Sensibility."

"Who's it by?"

"Jane Austen."

He nodded and looked away for a minute, clearly thinking. I turned the page and he faced me once again. "That's the one that wrote the book that all chicks love, right? What was that name again? It started with a P."

I arched my brows in mild surprise. "Pride and Prejudice?"

He snapped his fingers. "That's the one. My sister used to love to read books like that. She was crazy about that one." He inclined his head towards my book. "Said Austen was one of her favorite writers."

"I never read it," I said quietly and then remembered where I was and who I was talking to. "Your sister?" I couldn't help but be curious.

"Yeah, Beccs. She was the smartest out of us all, I think." He laughed.

The corners of my mouth twitched. "Do you have a favorite writer like her?"

He smirked over at me. "I was never really into the whole reading thing. I left that to her."

"Oh." I tried my best to mask my disappointment, especially when I had no idea why I felt that way. I slowly turned back to my book.

"Me? I was more into fixing cars and hanging at the beach with the guys."

My head snapped up. "The beach?"

He grinned and turned in his seat to face me fully. I did the same, interested now. My mom and I always went to the beach in the summer; I loved it. It was one of my favorite places. "Yeah. Second Beach in La Push, ever heard of it?" I shook my head. "La Push is the rez I grew up on."

My brows pulled in. "Rez?"

"Reservation. It's up in Washington, a few hours away from Seattle, right near Forks." Ah, so he was Native American. Looking at him now with that new knowledge, I felt stupid for not realizing that right off the bat.

"And there's a beach near where you grew up?"

He nodded enthusiastically, seemingly happy to be answering my questions. "Yeah, it's right there. Actually, my dad's house is right at the edge of it so I could go down to the beach anytime. Early morning, midafternoon, late at night, whatever. I went so often, I know those trails by heart." He chuckled softly.

I frowned and dropped my eyes to the couch. "I wish we lived near the beach here. That would be awesome if I could go anytime I wanted like that."

He ducked his head to catch my attention and my eyes. "You like the beach?"

I nodded. "Yep. Mom and I used to go in the summer. We loved it there. We actually used to go to Montauk for vacation." I smiled and he smiled back. Then it hit me. Why had I just admitted that to this man? I had just given him an insider tip and now he would go and tell my mom we had been bonding when they left. Ugh. Why did I fall into that so easily?

His smile grew bigger. "Montauk, huh? That's cool. The beach is a nice place to be in the summer."

I gave him a thin smile and readjusted my position on the couch to the one I had been in earlier. I nodded and looked once more at my book.

By the time I had read the same page for the seventh time, trying to be unaware of him sitting next to me, he let out another chuckle. "Bella, I don't know about you but I'm nervous here."

I lifted my eyes to his, confused. "Why are you nervous?"

He ran a hand through his cropped hair in an apparent nervous gesture. "This is the first time I'm taking your mom out, first time I've met you, first time I've—"

"Gone out with a woman who has a kid?"

His eyes snapped to mine and his smile softened a little, appearing sheepish. "Well, yeah."

I shrugged. "It's not a big deal. My mom likes you; she hasn't stopped talking about you all week."

His smile widened. "Yeah?"

I shrugged again. "She's probably nervous, too." I snorted and turned the page in my book. "There's not too many guys that like to stick around when they find out about me so I bet she's probably worried you'll leave like all the rest if she leaves you alone with me too long so you actually have a chance to think about it and run."

It was quiet for a minute. I needed a filter; a serious brain to mouth filter. I could kick myself for being so stupid.

"So you're saying your mom's ex-boyfriends dumped her when they found out about you? Did any of them actually meet you?"

I nodded. "Yeah. A couple of them were nice but most just didn't want to deal with a teenager. So, they either pretended like I didn't exist or they made it very clear that they didn't want me around." I shrugged nonchalantly. Shut up, Bella. Shut up. I cleared my throat quietly, trying to recover though I was sure it was hopeless; the guy looked like he wanted to sprint towards his car and peel out of the driveway, never looking back as he sped off back to more normal people like himself. But, I tried anyway. "So, don't be scared, Jake. I'm sure she's just as scared." I dog-eared the page I had flipped before. I was going to need to go back and read that passage once they left so my brain could actually register the words on the paper. Where was Mom anyway? She couldn't really be taking this long, could she?

"Sounds like a bunch of jerks to me. It's their loss if they let you and your mom go."

Was he kidding me? He was still trying to butter me up? Did he not hear what I just said and what it meant? Did he not just look like he wanted to run out the door, screaming?

I slammed my book shut angrily and thrust it onto my lap, sighing. I turned to find Jake's eyes wide, staring at me. "Look, Jake. You seem like a nice guy so I'm just going to tell you the truth. I appreciate the little conversation you're trying to make here and do the whole bonding with the kid thing, but it's been tried before and let me save you the suspense, it's a complete waste of my time and yours. Whether I like you or not doesn't really matter. The only thing that matters is what she thinks and even if you secretly can't stand me or wish I was gone, or tell her how you hate my guts, it won't make her like you any less. She'll still go on dates with you, kiss you and most likely, have sex with you, too. And by how much she's been talking about you and how hot you are and how much you make her laugh, I'll probably have to bury my head under my pillow again by the end of the night and pretend I don't hear any yelling or disgusting sounds or anything else that makes me cringe worse than when my health teacher tries to show us how to put a condom on the banana. So, do us both a favor, quit the buttering the kid up act and save it all for her. She's the one that matters. I don't figure into this equation, at all. So, now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go make sure I make a very loud playlist for later tonight. Considering how much she goes on about you already, guaranteed, I'll be hearing her scream your name and asking you to do all kinds of dirty things later and I'm going to need it. Enjoy the rest of your night." I ended my rant by jumping to my feet and stomping to my room. I ignored his shocked expression on the way out.

"Bella, sweetheart, can you please tell Jake I'll just be one more minute?" My mom yelled down to me on the way. I hadn't even known she had snuck back upstairs.

"He already knows, Mom," I yelled back and headed to my door. I slammed it shut, not caring that Jake would tell her what happened and probably leave, not caring now that my mom would scream and cry at me for being so rude and ruining her chance with him, asking me why I didn't want her to be happy. I plopped face down onto my bed and buried my face in my pillow. I just wanted to be left alone.

Two minutes later, I heard my mom greeting Jake downstairs. I heard their soft murmurings and my mom's laugh. I stared at the picture I had put into a frame and placed on my night table next to my bed. It was one of me and Mom from four years ago, at the beach, laughing as she helped me with the giant sandcastle we had made. One of her old boyfriends had taken it with her camera. Yep, she had even taken to bringing them on our yearly trip with us, whoever she was most infatuated with at the time. That is, before she stopped us going when I turned twelve, telling me I was too old to keep taking there, it was too much money, it was too long a drive and there were barely any good places in town for her and the flavor of the month to go to. She never knew how hard and how long I had cried that night into my pillow until I passed out. Hot tears built into the corners of my eyes now at the memory. Why couldn't Mom just be happy with how things were? Why did she have to have a man in our lives all the time? Why could she not be alone for more than a week? I didn't understand it.

The harsh thought popped into my head; maybe it was me. Maybe she just didn't want to be alone with me at all. She loved me, I had no doubt about that, but she had never made it secret that I hadn't been planned and had put the kink in the situation between her and my dad as well as ending her marriage, all in the same moment. Maybe she was afraid I'd continue to do the same thing in the future. Maybe that's why she didn't tell her boyfriends the truth about me until she had gone on a few dates with them. Maybe that's why, no matter how they treated me, she never made them leave until she herself wanted them to, getting bored and easily tiring of them. A tear escaped and trailed down my cheek. I quickly wiped it away.

I heard a knock on my door. "Bella? We're going to be leaving. Will you please come downstairs and say goodbye to Jake? He'd like to see you before we go. Don't be rude," she said in a sweet fake voice with an implied threat of regretting it if I was indeed rude.

I sniffled and did my best to sound normal. "No, Mom, I can't. My stomach really hurts. Can you please tell Jake goodbye for me?"

"Are you sure?" She sighed. "What's wrong with your stomach?" From her tone, it was obvious she didn't believe me and did not like the fact that I was making this difficult on her.

I took a deep breath and wiped underneath my eyes. I smoothed down my shirt and plastered a fake smile onto my face. I opened the door to find my mother's concerned expression. "It's just a little achy. I think the cookies from before bothered me," I lied. "I'll be okay."

She looked at me warily, speaking loudly. "Are you sure, Bella? If you're sick, maybe I should—"

"No," I dismissed with a wave of my hand, knowing very well that she only asked for Jake's benefit. So, we were going to act like Mother Of the Year now, were we? Fine by me. "Go out on your date with Jake. Have fun, okay?" I said a little louder and a little more chipper.

She stared at me for another minute, obviously gauging if I was telling the truth or just being sarcstic. She soon got the answer she was hoping for and sighed dramatically. "Alright, sweetie. But if you start to feel worse, you call me, okay? And I'll come right home." Right. She then gave me a hug.

"I'll be fine, Mom. I'll see you when you get back, okay?"

Mom nodded and stroked my hair. Wow, this was one heck of a performance. Even I was starting to buy it. "Feel better, sweetie. I'll be back in a few hours."

I smiled wider and watched her as she kissed my cheek and went down the stairs. I closed the door and sat back down on my bed. Unbelievable. I heard the phone start to ring downstairs but I ignored it. Whoever it was could leave a message. It rang a few times and then stopped. It must not have been important then.

A minute later, there was another knock at my door, making me roll my eyes. Did she really need to oversell it? If the guy hadn't run by now then he was a sure thing for crying out loud. "Mom, I'm fine. Don't worry about me. Go out on your date and have fun," I called. I also really hoped she wasn't bringing me the phone; I really didn't feel like talking to anyone just then.

I heard a clearing of a throat. "Um, no, it's Jake. Can I come in?"

My head snapped up and I narrowed my eyes at the door in suspicion. "Why do you want to come into my room? Why are you upstairs?" Had I misread this guy?

"Your mom had to take a quick call and I wanted to talk to you for a minute, if that's okay." Yeah, I bet he did. "When she told me you weren't feeling well, she told me where your room was." Traitor. Oh yeah, this guy wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. She was already giving him the layout of the house. Great.

Well, it was my fault for losing it on him like I did so I needed to face the music. There was no time like the present and at least, it wouldn't be in front of my mom. That would have been much worse. Plus, it wasn't the first time I'd been threatened or yelled at or cursed out by one of her paramours.

I got up and opened the door, seeing Jake staring down at me, giving me a small nervous smile. "Hey. Would it be alright if I came in for a minute?"

I bit my lip and opened the door a little more. He passed through and I opened the door all the way as a precaution before turning to sit on my bed. He looked around and I crossed my arms, waiting for him to just get it over with already.

"This is a nice room. " I arched an eyebrow at him and he chuckled. "Right. No need for useless conversation, got it."

I glared up at him and he licked his lips nervously. He sighed and sat down at the foot of the bed, facing me. "So, about downstairs…."

I dropped my gaze to the blanket. Great, now I'm going to get lectured or reprimanded by a guy that's, what, eight years older than me it looks like?

"Bella, I'm sorry I made you feel that way; that was never my intention. I was nervous because, yes, I've never dated a woman who's had children before. I…." I looked up to find him running a hand through his hair. "I'm not sure how to talk to my date's kid much less a fourteen year old girl. A son…..well…." He laughed. "I'm not gonna lie, that one would have been easier. I'd be able to watch Monday night football with him, talk to him about cars, have guy conversations, sneak him a Playboy every now and then when his mom wasn't looking….."

I laughed involuntarily. I could just see my mom's reaction to that if I had indeed been a boy and Jake had given me a porn magazine on the side.

Jake smiled at me, obviously relieved he had gotten a chuckle from me. "But, with you, I'm not really sure what to talk about. I guess, if you wanted I could get some ice cream and we can dish about boys, though I'm not sure how much help I would be in that department." I rolled my eyes, smiling, and this time he laughed. "Don't knock it 'till you try it, Bells." Bells? Had he just called me…..Bells? Interesting nickname. Never had that one before. "My hair might not be long enough to braid and I will not allow you to put make-up on me or paint my toe nails ever but I can certainly do the girl voice and the sympathy and the 'oh my God, he's so hot' if need be. And that's only acting, by the way." He emphasized that fact, pointing his finger at me.

I arched my brow and he chuckled. His face became serious once more. "Look, I know you've had it rough. What you said down there more than paints the picture for me. Sounds like it's been pure hell."

I shook my head, biting my lip nervously. "It hasn't been hell. It's just been…weird," I said quietly.

He laughed again. "Weird, huh? Good word for it, I guess." I shrugged and lowered my eyes back down to the blanket. "Bottom line is, I know it hasn't been easy. I can't do anything or say anything to convince you right now that I'm not that type of guy or to give me a chance but….." He bit his own lip. "I would really be grateful if you would give me one, anyway. Who knows? Maybe your mom and I won't work out and this will be the only date I take her on. I hope it doesn't end like that. I like her a lot, Bells. I do. But, if it doesn't work out, then you might not even need to worry about me. But, for now, do you think you can give me that chance?"

I stared at him for a minute. He seemed like a nice, genuine guy and I appreciated that he talked to me like I was on the same level with him, instead of calling me 'Kid' or treating me like I was a bother, a dumb kid who didn't know her butt from a hole in the ground. I was still slightly unsettled by him but right now, he didn't seem to be a threat. He was charming me and melting my defenses. And somehow, it bothered me yet didn't. The part that wasn't bothered urged me to take him up on his offer. Like he said, who knows? He might be right and I might never have to see him again after tonight. For some reason, that slightly bothered me though I had no idea why. I pushed that thought away and ignored it, thinking over his request. Right now, I had nothing to lose. So, I slowly nodded.

His grin returned in full force. "Thanks, Bells. I really mean that." I attempted to give him a small smile in return. "So, listen, if your mom and I make another date after tonight, on the off chance that she finds me hot," He winked at me and I rolled my eyes, my smile getting bigger. "Should I download the Biebs and pick up some Ben and Jerry's one night next week?"

I scrunched my nose up in disgust. "Ugh. You actually listen to that stuff?"

He laughed and shook his head, getting to his feet. "Hell no. I thought that's what you teeny boppers were listening to these days."

I shuddered. "No way, Jose. Justin Beiber is disgusting. I cringe every time Mom listens to it on the radio."

"Your mom listens to it?" He was shocked. "What?"

I nodded. "Trust me, this is nothing compared to the Miley Cyrus kick. 'The Climb' and 'Party In the USA' were torture. Especially, when she would sing along." I cringed anyway at the memory. This poor guy had no idea what he was in for or that he wasn't the only young guy she had dated within his age group. My mom was determined to stay young no matter what the birth year on her driver's license said. Sometimes, it cracked me up to see how far she would go, not realizing she was already sixteen in her head, but sometimes, it was downright embarrassing.

He broke down laughing, full out guffaws with a giggle here and there, and plopped down onto the same spot on the bed he had been in. "Awesome insider info, Bells. I am so busting on her for that."

I couldn't help but smile. I could just imagine my mom's tomato face when he brought it up at dinner. I almost wished I could be there.

"Wow. That is…priceless. I'll take a picture of your mom's face for you and text it to you." I rubbed my hands together, grinning, and he laughed again, shaking his head. He was amusing and he always seemed to be able to read my thoughts. He wasn't one of those secret mind readers you heard about on TV, was he?

"Jake?" We could hear my mom looking for him downstairs. "Where'd you go?" I could detect the nervousness in her voice though it seemed Jake couldn't; she was masking it too well.

He cleared his throat and leaned forward. "I'm up here, Ness. "

A pause and then, "Why are you up there?" floated up to us. I could hear her start climbing the stairs. Great, here we go. I was bound to be dressed down at least once before they left. She hated it whenever one of the guys showed me the least bit attention, even if it was only a compliment in passing. Even if it was only a quick "Nice job, kid," if he was there when I boasted I had gotten a hundred on my English test or an A on my book report (on the rare occasions Mom decided to be a mom and had asked me about school). A snide comment or put down was made each and every time. She did not like me being the center of attention, even for a second.

"Just saying goodbye to Bella and telling her I hope she feels better. I'll be right down." The steps stopped. "Okay," she called uncertainly. I nearly sighed in relief. Then something he said registered.

My brows pulled in. "You said she told you where my room was."

He got up and winked at me. "Had to get you to let me in, didn't I?" I glared and he just chuckled.

"Quick, you got a cell phone?" I arched a brow and shook my head. If I did, how weird would it be if after talking to him for five minutes and knowing him for fifteen that I, his date's fourteen soon-to-be-fifteen year old daughter, would give him my cell phone number? Did this guy not watch shows like Law and Order?

He shut his phone. "Crap. Okay. Next time I see you, I'll show you the pic." I smiled and nodded enthusiastically. "It was good to meet you, Bells." He smiled and turned to walk out when he suddenly stopped and faced me again. "Hey, what was the name of that writer again?"

"Jane Austen?" I asked in confusion.

He nodded. "Jane Austen. Okay, cool. I'll ask Beccs about it next time I talk to her, see if she ever read…..what was it again?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Sense and Sensibility?"

He nodded again. "Sense and Sensibility. I'll ask her if she's read it and get her to tell me a little bit about it if she has."

"Why?"

"So I can ask you questions about it and see if you really read it. Or to see if it was really just an avoidance tactic down there so you wouldn't have to talk to me." My jaw dropped. Was he serious? "I'm serious, Bells. Pop quiz next time I see you. You better have finished it by then." His grin was bigger when he saw my glare. "'Night, Tiger." He winked at me and then he was gone. I heard him meet my mom halfway down the stairs and then they went out the door.

I sat there in disbelief. What had just happened? Had he really just bonded with me? Did he actually just try to make a connection with me? I shook my head to clear it. No. If my mom went on a second date with him, I would ignore him the next time, pretend he didn't exist. I've been on the other side of that treatment so often I'd be a pro at it. And then he would know. I wanted nothing to do with him or any other man my mother brought home. Yes, next time he came around, I would let him know that I didn't appreciate him trying to make himself look good to my mother. Why else would he say he'd take a picture and text it to me? Something he could then show my mom? He seemed like a sincere guy and if I wasn't on guard against any tactics of his to go through me to get to my mom, then I might almost like him. I said I would give him another chance but as I sat there, thinking, I realized I would be going back on my word.

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_Reviews are like peanut butter cups, they're always welcome and appreciated._


	2. Chapter 2

_**Your eyes, they shine so bright**_

_**I want to save that light**_

**Disclaimer: Everything Twilight related including characters and locales all belong to Stephenie Meyer, the creator of Twilight. The only thing that is mine is the story idea. Everything else belongs to her.**

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Jake, surprisingly enough, was harder to ignore than anyone would have ever thought possible. Or discourage for that matter. He and my mom made a second date alright, for the next night. Apparently, the date had gone so well they wanted to spend more time together this weekend. Mom had come up and gushed to me about how wonderful he was and how funny he was and how brilliant and how—ugh. She said he had been a real gentleman. When I asked her what she meant, she mentioned that he had held doors open for her, pulled out her seat for her, paid for dinner, etc. But I knew what she really meant.

Jake had dropped her off and walked her to the door. I was in her room, peeking out the window quickly to see if she had gotten home yet when I heard a car door close. The window was open and I heard my mom giggle when Jake kissed her. She had offered him to come in for a nightcap. I half expected him to accept and that I would have to put in my earbuds and turn my iPod all the way up. Hearing those sounds was bad enough but imagining Jake being the one making the male noises this time just made me sick to my stomach. But, he surprised me. He politely declined, explaining it away as an early morning forcing him to return home at that moment; that he promised his boss he'd work the Saturday morning shift. My mouth had dropped in shock. Had what I said downstairs to him made him so uncomfortable that he was now worried I might hear them if he stayed? Like I would be willingly listening for that.

He chuckled when she said something along the lines of asking him if he wanted a rain check. "Definitely," he had promised and kissed her one more time. My mom had said good night and walked into the house. I watched Jake for a split second after she disappeared. I saw a dreamy smile appear on his face and saw his arms lift in the air and heard him whisper scream, "Yes!" A minute later, he turned and jogged down the driveway towards his car.

I shook my head. I was glad that he obviously genuinely liked my mom and from the little I'd heard, she really liked him, too, even more now. But, it also put me on tighter guard. I was a most assured way to get to my mom if need be and I wouldn't let him use me like that. I'd be polite, cordial to him even, but in no way was I going to trust him.

When he showed up the next night, Mom was still in the shower upstairs. For some reason, she seemed to never stick to the times she made with this guy. It was getting annoying, especially in this circumstance. I sighed when I heard the doorbell ring and got up from the kitchen table. I headed to the door and rolled my eyes before opening it.

Jake beamed at me. "Hey, Bells. How are you today?"

I gave him a tight-lipped smile. "Good. You?"

"Pretty good. Mind if I come in?"

I shook my head once. "Nope." I opened the door more so he could walk in. When I shut it and turned around, I saw he had a small bag in his hand. Typical. Let the courting begin. "She's still upstairs in the shower. I guess she's running a little late. If you don't mind waiting, she'll be down in a bit. You can head into the living room and watch TV if you like. Make yourself at home." I sounded like quite the little hostess. I sometimes wondered who the mother and who the daughter really were between my mom and I.

I didn't give him a chance to respond and walked back into the kitchen without a second glance. I returned to my seat at the kitchen table and picked up my pencil. Seconds later, Jake walked in. I didn't look up at him but my jaw clenched. I didn't say a word and I kept my eyes on my notebook as he took the seat next to me.

"Hey, Bells?"

"Yeah?" I asked, not looking up.

"Your mom's not running late. I showed up a bit early."

I lifted my gaze to his. That caught my attention. "Why?"

He put the bag on the table and tapped it with his finger before sliding it a few inches towards me. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Open it already, Bells," he chuckled, almost sounding nervous. Mom would love whatever he got her even if she downright hated it; she was that infatuated with him already.

I shrugged slightly and peered into the bag; all I could see was white tissue paper. "The, uh, the lady behind the counter wrapped it up," he said anxiously. I narrowed my eyes and pulled the top open wider. I dug in carefully and felt something that appeared to be the top of a book. I lifted it from the bag, pulling the tissue paper away, and my eyes widened when I saw what book it was. Crap. He's giving gifts to me instead now, not good. I didn't want to seem ungrateful, but maybe I should cut him off at the pass before he and Mom started to get serious.

I cleared my throat quietly but he spoke first. "Is it okay? You don't have it, right?" He asked. I glanced up to see the nervousness in his expression. I stared into those eyes, wishing they would just tell me what he was up to. But, all I could see was warmth and sincerity shining back at me; it made me start to relax slightly and also feel horrible about keeping him waiting when he was so evidently nervous about my reception to the gift.

I shook my head and looked back down at the book. "No, I don't have it."

He chuckled. "I kind of figured when you said you hadn't read the story. I, uh…don't know much about it." I looked at him again to see him rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "But Beccs said it's one of the best writers she's ever read so…..I thought maybe you might enjoy it, too."

"You spoke to her?"

He smiled. "Yeah. I asked her about that Jane Austen you mentioned and she told me about that book. She said it had most of the classic stories by her in that edition. I looked it up online, saw the bookstore in town had it, went there and picked it up." The guilt started to build inside. Maybe I was being too harsh on him, too quick to judge. Maybe I should give him a chance like I said I would, like he asked when the other guys never even considered me in the equation at all. At least he was trying; that was more than some of Mom's old boyfriends did. "Do you like it?"

I stared down at the cover and ran my hand over the smooth leather. "Yeah," I said quietly. "I like it a lot." I trailed my finger over the golden embossed pages on the side. I offered him a small smile. "Thanks, Jake."

He smiled back and nodded once, looking relieved. "You're welcome."

I studied the cover once again. A collection of Jane Austen's stories in a leather bound book, for me. It was rather…thoughtful. He cleared his throat and I snapped my eyes to his.

"So," he said, smirking. "Pop quiz time. You ready?"

My jaw almost hit the table. "Are you serious? You just told me last night."

He smirked wider and shrugged, leaning back in his chair comfortably. "Yeah and last night, it seemed like you were almost halfway through so you should have picked up something at least. Tell me about it."

I narrowed my eyes. "I thought you said it was a pop quiz."

He crossed his arms, still quite amused. "It is. Now, tell me something about the story and I'll know if you really read it or not."

I rolled my eyes and sat back, crossing my arms myself. "I thought Mom said you were a mechanic. Are you a teacher, too?"

He snorted. "Hell, no. That would mean I would have to read books and all that stuff. Can you see me reading all of that for years on end?"

I laughed. "Now, that you mention it, no."

He nodded in satisfaction. "Okay, so go on, tell me."

I rolled my eyes again and sighed, deciding to indulge him since he had given me that beautiful book. "There are three sisters in the story," I started, reiterating everything I had learned in the last twenty four hours.

When I was finished, he nodded in approval.

I arched a brow at him expectantly. "Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Did I pass?"

He shrugged. "I wouldn't know. Never read it."

My eyes widened in shock. "What? You just said—I just told you all of that for nothing? And I read the whole thing in—"

He stretched his arms behind his head. "Yep. And now I can test you anytime I like. So, watch it." He made the gesture with two fingers pointing between our eyes to indicate he had his eyes on me.

I don't know what made me do it. I immediately picked up the heavy book and hit him in the shoulder with it. He laughed and held his hands up defensively. I smacked him again and he just kept laughing. "Okay, okay. truth of the matter is I did ask Beccs but she told me she didn't have time to go over it and suggested I Wiki it for the quick version. I didn't get a chance to check it out. I only checked to see if the book was available. I hear they made a movie of it, though." He winked at me and I laid the book down on the table and sat back, shaking my head but smirking.

"You're weird, you know that?"

"But a good weird, right?" He was grinning at me.

I smiled and nodded. He chuckled and his eyes dropped to my notebook. "Homework?"

"Yeah, algebra. You wanna put your newfound teaching skills to use and do it for me?"

He shook his head in amusement. "First, teaching is not doing, it's teaching. Secondly, I don't know a thing about that stuff. Thirdly, based on the huge book I just gave you, I think I should stick strictly to literature; apparently, that's where my expertise is needed."

I snorted and shrugged. "Okay." I picked up my pencil and continued filling out my work sheet after I solved the problems in the notebook. I was erasing a mistake when I heard him ask me quietly, "Um, Bells? You don't think your mom's not gonna be upset that I didn't get her something, too, will she? I mean, I worked most of the day and only had enough time to run home, clean up and stop at the bookstore on the way. I didn't really think to stop anywhere else and I don't know what she likes... Now I'm wondering if she's gonna be upset."

Yes, she would be. While she would smile and gush over how sweet Jake had been to get me a small gift, it wouldn't be long before she started to glance around, looking for her present as well. And finding none, that would only lead to trouble. No excuse in the world would be acceptable, especially since he had taken the time to stop for my gift but to plan it out as well. She wouldn't be upset; she would be furious.

Seeing the worry that shone deep in his dark eyes and remembering his fist pump in the air from last night after the date had been a success, something in me decided to spare him that information. I shook my head and wiped the bits of eraser off the paper, giving him a reassuring smile. "Nah, she won't. But if it'll make you feel better, I'll hide it in the living room until after you guys leave."

"Wait." His brows pulled in. "I thought you were coming with us tonight."

I froze. Wait, what?

He laughed at my expression. "Yeah. I asked your mom if she thought you'd want to come out with us tonight. She said she'd ask you."

My lips tightened into a thin line. If he had suggested it, she would have asked me in a heartbeat and been all smiles and gushing over him even more. If she didn't ask me, that could only mean one thing. She intended on them spending time alone tonight. And that meant I needed to have my iPod ready for later. I scrunched up my nose at the thought and Jake saw it.

He laughed again. "What, the idea of you hanging out with me and your mom disgust you that much?"

I shook my head, biting my lip. "No. I had a…cramp." When I realized what I had said, I blushed and kept my eyes glued to the work sheet.

"Uh huh," he said in disbelief. "Look, Bells, If you don't want to go, you don't have to. We can hang out another night. I just thought it would be fun. Plus, I believe I owe you some ice cream." He winked at me when I lifted my eyes.

How was I going to put this as politely and delicately as possible? "I would go, Jake, but...Mom didn't ask me."

His brows pulled in again. "Oh. Uh, I guess she forgot," he chuckled. I smiled and nodded, knowing that wasn't the case. And sure enough, when she came down to find us in the kitchen, chatting amiably, the way she looked confirmed it for me. I actually blushed at the outfit she was wearing and averted my eyes back to my homework, which was now covering my new book while the bag was hidden by my feet under the table.

"Wow, Ness. You look…incredible." I rolled my eyes. Typical. One look at her and all his worrying about forgetting to get her a gift was out the window. A covert glance in his direction confirmed his mind was only on one thing and it wasn't what they would be having for dinner. Nope, Jake looked ready to devour her. Ugh. All guys were the same.

I grimaced and went back to my work. I expected Jake to drool after my mom and mindlessly follow her out the door, ignoring my existence in the process. That was okay; I was used to this part. I was good at it.

Mom smiled wickedly at Jake. "Why, thank you, Jake. Are you ready to go?"

I tried to focus on this one problem so by the time I was done, they could be gone. And I could go back to my monotonous Saturday night, weird nice guys dating my mom giving me thoughtful gifts nothing more than a distant memory.

Jake cleared his throat and I nearly smirked. "Ah, yeah." He got to his feet and pushed in his chair. I refused to acknowledge the disappointment that lodged itself into my chest at the action. Well, it had been interesting to say the least. I just hoped for Jake's sake that after she slept with him later that he'd last at least a few dates. He seemed like an okay guy, one of the nice ones. And those never lasted too long. "Bella, you coming with?"

My eyes widened and I looked up to see my mom with the same shocked expression. Yep, she definitely hadn't forgotten to ask me, just as I figured. "Oh," my mom started. "You have a lot of homework to finish still, don't you, Bella?" Her tone told me to accept this lie and repeat it….or else.

"Yeah," I mumbled. "I have a lot to do." It felt strange, having her act this way. Usually, the guys never asked me to join them or go anywhere or do anything with them.

"Come on, Bella. You can do Algebra tomorrow. Your head's gotta be killing you from that stuff. I know it's killing mine just watching you do it. It's Saturday, live a little." I looked up to find Jake's challenging smirk. Something about the way he was insistent and genuinely wanted me to come along had me wishing I could accept. But, I knew I couldn't and for the first time where one of her boyfriends was concerned, being left out in the cold bothered me a little.

"Thanks, Jake," I said quietly. "But, I can't tonight. Maybe I can go out with you guys another night." I turned to look at my mom who gave me a pleased smile. For the first time ever since she met this guy, I felt a bit of actual dislike for her.

"You're sure?" I looked back to Jake to find him staring down at me, somewhat puzzled.

I nodded. "Yep. Thank you, though."

My mom approached me at the table. "That settles it. Be a good girl, Bella, and I'll be home in a few hours. If you need me, you call me, okay?" She kissed my cheek and I couldn't believe how much I wanted to push her away even though I didn't. I nodded and let her hug me. "I'll make it up to you," she whispered in my ear. My jaw clenched. No, she wouldn't and if anything, that was my concrete confirmation of what her intentions were and Jake seemed to be none the wiser. Or maybe he was but after seeing my mom dressed the way she was, didn't care so much anymore. It wouldn't surprise me if it was indeed the latter.

Jake took a step towards my mom, still frowning down at me. Maybe I had been completely off base and this was the part where the kid put a kink in his plans of impressing Mom and his true self was about to show. Wouldn't be the first time. "Hey, Ness. Can I use your bathroom for a sec before we leave?" Oh, great. Here we go.

Mom looked surprised but quickly nodded, pointing him to where it was located. He smiled his thanks and headed in the direction she had indicated. My mom turned back to me and grinned. "While he's doing that, I'm just gonna go make sure I have everything. I promise I'll make it up to you, sweetie." She kissed my cheek one more time as I gave her a wan smile and then rushed off to head upstairs. When the footsteps quieted, I let out a huge breath and plopped my head down into my arms on the table.

So, it was official. I needed to charge my iPod for tonight and make the loudest playlist I could. This weekend was very strange and…bothersome; I couldn't wait for it to end.

"Hey."

I nearly groaned at Jake's voice but instead stayed quiet and lifted my head to look at him. Here it comes.

"Is everything okay, Bells? I mean, tonight….." He ran a hand through his hair. "Do you not want to go because of me?" I don't know why but I felt a small pain start deep down within me when he asked me that. I could see the genuine concern in his dark eyes and I felt horrible for my line of thinking moments ago.

"No. I honestly have a lot of work to do and I just want to get it done. I'm always like that." When he didn't seem to believe me, I searched for another excuse. "Plus, there's this movie on tonight I really wanna see. I never got to see it when it was in theaters. I'm just gonna make some popcorn and watch it."

He cocked his head at me, almost questioningly. He folded his arms and leaned against the doorway. "And what are you going to eat, Tiger?"

I narrowed my eyes at yet another nickname he had given me within a day of meeting me but Jake only smirked back at me. I shrugged. "I have a box of mac'n'cheese I can heat up in the mic." His brows pulled in again and I sighed, sitting back in my chair. "I'll be fine. You guys should go have fun."

He continued to stare at me for a minute but when I didn't move or say anything else, he sighed and pulled out his phone. "Alright. But, if you change your mind and you want something from the restaurant or if you need anything, anything at all, you call my cell." He walked over to pick up my pencil and wrote his number in the margin of my notebook. He handed the pencil back to me and reached a hand up to ruffle my hair. I squirmed away from him and glared, immediately moving to fix the now chaotic strands. He just laughed and I stuck my tongue out at him. He snorted and began to walk out of the room. "Okay, Bells. I'll see you later then. Be good." He turned and winked at me. I blew a raspberry at him and he chuckled. "You're definitely not what I expected, Bells. I'm glad I've met you and your mom." He winked again and stepped out. "'Night, Tiger," he called. I rolled my eyes.

I heard my mom's footsteps coming down the stairs and then she called out, "Bye, sweetie. See you in a few hours."

"Bye," I called back. "Have fun."

"We will," I wanted to gag. "Bye, Bella."

"Bye," I yelled back with false cheeriness.

I had never been more relieved to hear the door click shut after her. Things seemed very...confusing all of a sudden. I liked the new guy she was dating, was hoping he would stick around. I wanted my mom to be happy and he clearly made her happy. But when she made it obvious that she wanted some time alone with him, I started getting angry with her. I had no idea why; I should be used to it by now. But instead, I was pretty hurt that rather than be honest with me like she always had been, she chose to keep it to herself and hope I would never be the wiser. Why couldn't she just have told me she had just started dating him and wanted to be with him alone? Why was that so hard? She had certainly never failed to tell me that before when necessary, even when she was married to Alec. Yes, that's what hurt the most and spawned this dislike and anger coursing through me at the moment that was directed towards her. Maybe she just wasn't thinking straight; she always seemed crazy for the first few weeks she fell in love with a new guy on her radar. That had to be it; she was becoming scatter-brained or something.

Feeling much better than I had a minute ago, I took a deep breath and went back to the world of Algebra.

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_Reviews are like peanut butter cups, they're always welcome and appreciated._


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